The conventional technologies for packaging the semiconductor components are still faced with limitations due to the facts that the packaging processes require longer processing time and higher fabrication costs. The limitations of the conventional technologies can be illustrated by the processes of packaging the semiconductor components 3 with external leads 122 as shown in FIG. 1. The packaging processes include the following steps:    Step 1 Chip adhering: for each lead frame unit on a lead frame, a plurality of chips are respectively adhered to the die pads; in which the lead frame contains a plurality of lead frame units, and each lead frame unit contains die pads and a plurality of leads on both sides of the die pad; adjacent lead frame units are connected by connecting each lead to the metal beam;    Step 2 Wire connecting and bonding: for each lead frame unit, its chips and leads are connected respectively by metal wire bonding;    Step 3 Plastic packaging: carry out plastic packaging of the lead frame, sealing the chips, die pads and some leads in the plastic package; in this step, a plurality of plastic package cavities are formed for each lead frame unit, which are separated by a plurality of metal beams on the lead frame; after this step, each lead is divided into a internal portion sealed inside the plastic package, and a external portion outside the package, and each plastic package cavity unit is vertically and horizontally connected by the metal beams;    Step 4 Resin flush removal: during the plastic packaging, scraps will be left in the area at the edge of plastic package or among the external leads, so in this step the scraps formed at the edge of each plastic package cavity are removed;    Step 5 Sawing & separation: saw off the metal beams among plastic package cavities by impact extrusion, separate the connection among the leads of each lead frame unit, and in the meantime keep all the lead-external portions outside the package, thus forming a plurality of individual semiconductor component products with external leads.
However, the processes to package the semiconductor components with external leads as described above have the disadvantages typically encountered in the processes of plastic packaging that include resin flush removal and sawing and separation. For example, in the step of plastic packaging, it is necessary to form a plurality of plastic package cavities separated by the metal beams on the entire lead frame. Another example of such disadvantages occurs in the step of separation by impact extrusion. It is necessary to prepare unique punching tool according to plastic package cavities and their pitches in order to separate the lead frame units inside each plastic package array and thus finally form a plurality of individual semiconductor components. In order to meet these unique process operation requirements to process the packaging of electronic packages to contain different types of semiconductor components with external leads, it is necessary to separately design and manufacture the processing moulds or mechanical tools, etc. that meet and realize these process requirements, thus unavoidably resulting in longer preparation period and higher manufacturing cost of the entire process.
Therefore, it is necessary to provide a new and improved packaging process for semiconductor components with external leads to package the semiconductor components with more convenient processing steps to simplify the manufacturing processes and reduced the production costs such that the above discussed limitations and difficulties can be resolved. It is further desirable that the new and improved processing moulds or mechanical tools, etc. can be basically applicable to general packaging process and also applicable to different types of semiconductor packaging with external leads thus effectively improving the packaging efficiency, reducing the manufacturing cost, enhancing the product quality and productivity.